Tampion



Feb. 16, 1943. Q E 2,311,167

TAMPION Filed May 19, 1941 Patented Feb. 16, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TAMPION Charles Bird Gage, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

Application May 19, 1941, Serial No. 394,215

3 Claims.

In connection with the use of instruments of the wood-wind group, illustratively but not exclusively represented by the saxophone, a somewhat strident tone is desirable if music of certain sorts, for example, dance music, is to be rendered. Other kinds of music demand a less obtrusive tone, and if the music is intended for radio reproduction, the tone quality is markedly characteristic. The difference in the nature of the tone includes, but is more inclusive than, mere harshness or mere softness, but in the interest of brevity, the words harsh and soft will be used hereinafter.

Harshness or softness of tone is the product of several factors, not the least consequential of which is the relation which exists between the tone flange and the padding of the tampion. In order, therefore, that a performer may have a soft tone or a harsh tone at his command, he should be provided with a set of harsh tone tampions, and a set of soft tone tampions, adapted for interchangeable mounting on a single instrument. To accomplish that end is one of the objects of the present invention. It need hardly be remarked that it is a costly and impractical procedure to have an instrument padded for a soft tone, and an instrument padded for a harsh tone, when there is no other reason for replacing one instrument by another.

Passing from the viewpoint of the player to the viewpoint of the manufacturer, it is the tampion padding used by itself when a harsh tone is desired, that makes contact with the tone flange, and the padding must be accurately finished. The additional padding used when a soft tone is desired, does not effect a closure on the tone flange, and need not be finished to a high degree of perfection. It is desirable, therefore, to provide an accurately made tampion capable of being used as a basic structure, to make effective contact with the tone flange when a harsh tone is desired, and capable of making that same effective contact when a soft tone is desired, the structural change necessary to effect a soft tone being of a simple nature, calling for no great amount of artisan skill. In view of what has been stated immediately hereinbefore, another object of the invention is made manifest.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds,

the invention resides in the combination and 55 arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 shows in top plan, a device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan of the tampion of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, with an added structural feature;

Fig. 5 is a section taken approximately on the line 22 of Fig. 1, but showing a modification.

In describing the invention, such words as upper and lower are employed merely for convenience and with reference to the drawing.

Referring to the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the numeral I marks the body or pipe of a musical instrument of the wood-wind group, for example, although not necessarily, a saxophone. A tone hole is shown at 2, and the tone hole flange appears at 3, the flange embodying, in some instances, a broadening ring 4, the upper surface of which is flush with the upper end of the flange. The ring 4 will be considered as part of the flange 3, and will be dismissed from further consideration.

The letter T designates a tampion, adapted to be operated in any desired way, for instance through the instrumentality of an arm 5, carried by a shaft 6, supported for rocking movement on the pipe I of the instrument.

The tampion T comprises a body 1, generally made of metal, and including a flat base 8, coextensive in area with the flange 3, and provided at its margin with an inverted, annular trough 9, in which is securely held an annular footing l0, often made of cork. The lower surface of the footing I0 is flush with the lower surface of the base 8 of the body I. The footing 10 may be regarded as part of the tampion T.

The arm 5 is supplied with a recess l I, receiving a stud l2 on the base 8 of the tampion, a set screw 14 being threaded into the arm 5, to engage the stud l2, the tampion thus being detachably assembled with the arm.

To the lower surface of the annular footing I0 is secured, by cementing or otherwise, an annular pad l5, made of any yieldable material suitable for the purpose. The annular pad I5 is coextensive in area with the lower surface of the footing Ii], the inner edge of the padding being flush with the inner surface of the tone flange 3. The padding l makes contact with the upper end of the tone flange.

The tampion shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is a harsh tone tampion, in that the entire lower metal surface of the base 8 is exposed to the air column throughout the entire cross section of the tone flange 3. The area of the lower surface of the base 80f the tampion is equal to the internal cross sectional area of the tone flange 3, and, casually speaking, the amount of material removed in the making of the tone hole 2 is put back into the pipe I. Practically considered, the results are substantially those that flow from the use of a pipe of a given length, void of a lateral ventage. base 8 of the tampion, the same amount of metal is exposed, regardless of whether the tampion is open or closed.

As to the advantages incident to mounting the padding I5 on the tampion rather than on the tone flange 3, at least three points may be brought out. If the padding is mounted on the tone flange 3, the effective length of the flange is increased, and the pitch is changed when the tampion is open, a statement which is not true if the padding is carried by the tampion. Any pliable material added to the tone flange 3 will change the diameter of the flange, due to the expansion or spreading of the pliable material under compression. This spreading will always be lateral, and the pliable material will expand inwardly as well as outwardly. Again, if the padding is mounted on the tone flange the only way in which a change from a harsh tone to a soft tone can be brought about is by substituting one instrument bodily for another: whereas, in the device forming the subject matter of this application, it is necessary to change the tampion only.

The tampion T can be chucked in a lathe, or handled otherwise, and the lower surface of the annular padding I5 can be dressed with exactness, to cooperate with the tone flange 3. The manufacturer then has a perfectly operating basic structure, capable of being used in the form shown in Fig. 2, or in the form shown in Fig. 4, to obtain a perfect closure on the tone flange 3 in either instance, the additions necessary to produce the form shown in Fig. 4 being of a nature which does not call for a high degree of skill, so far as manufacture is concerned.

The form shown in Fig. 4 is the soft tone form, adapted peculiarly for use in connection with radio reproduction. In Fig. parts hereinbefore described have been designated by numerals already used, with the suffix a.

In the form under discussion, the space within the annular padding |5a is completely filled by a padding disk l6, made of the same material as the padding I5a, if desired, and of the same thickness as that padding. The padding disk I6 is of the same external'diameter as the internal diameter of the tone flange 3 and covers the entire lower surface of the flat base 8a of the tampion. The padding disk [6 preferably is cemented'to the base 8a.

Since a time which may be fixed approximately as 1923-1927, sound reproduction by means of radio has been perfected and has come into Noting the lower surface of the 7 prominence. Refinements formerly unnecessary and unknown, now are of major consequence. For example, if a closed sound chamber were incorporated in or assembled with the base 8a of the tampion, the form shown in Fig. 4 would have no utility. It is necessary that the part represented by the padding disk I6 be a solid structure, the word solid being construed to mean that the part has no closed and resonant sound chamber.

The incorporation of a sound chamber into the structure likewise would impair the utility of the form shown in Fig. 2, for the specific purpose for which it is intended. Furthermore, in the form shown in Fig. 4, the lower surface of the padding disk l6 should be flush with the upper end of the tone flange 3 and should not be raised to such an extent that it is above the lower surface of the padding ring I511.

The modification shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing is capable of use either with the form shown in Fig. 2 or the form shown in Fig. 4. In Fig. 5, parts hereinbefore described have been designated by numerals already used, with the suifix b. The modification resides in assembling the tampion movably with respect to the arm 5b, to obtain a seating of the padding I5b on the tone flange 3b.

To the stud l2b is secured, by cementing or otherwise, a resilient member I'l, made of plastic if desired, and provided with a reduced upstanding stem I8, held by the set screw Mb or its equivalent, in the recess Ilb of the arm 51).

The device forming the subject matter of this application is simple in construction, but it is thoroughly eflicient to accomplish the useful ends hereinbefore alluded to.

What is claimed is:

1. In an instrument typified by the wood-wind group, a tampion including a body, and an annular marginal padding assembled with the body, the body being of solid construction within the contour of the padding and throughout its thickness, for direct exposure to an air column, in combination with a disk-like padding of the same thickness as the marginal padding and filling the space within the annular padding, and means for securing the paddings individually and separately to the body.

2. In an instrument typified by the wood-wind group, a tampion including a body, and an annular marginal padding assembled with the body, the body being of solid construction within the contour of the padding and throughout its thickness, for direct exposure to an air column, in combination with a disk-like padding filling the space within the annular padding, the closure surfaces of the paddings being disposed in a common plane, and means for securing the paddings individually and separately to the body.

3. In an instrument typified by the wood-wind group, a tampion including a body, an annular marginal padding, the body being of solid construction within the contour of the annular padding and throughout its thickness, a disk-like padding completely filling the space within the annular padding, the closure surfaces of the paddings being disposed in a common plane, and means for securing the paddings individually and separably to the body, whereby the body will be exposed directly to an air column when the disklike padding is removed.

4 CHARLES B. GAGE. 

